Hello from Blantyre! I arrived here on a very classy bus with air conditioning, a toilet, snack foods and no more than 4 passengers. The fancy travelers are clearly few and far between. But Blantyre bustles. The national population is concentrated here, and women who aren’t even prostitutes wear sleeveless shirts and pants. I’m thinking of breaking out my tank tops for the first time.

My bus took me to a city so ritzy that they’re used to having electricity and water all the time, and there is butter in the grocery stores (as opposed to the ubiquitous unilever-made margarine). Kay Taylor and Vince Collins have been excellent hosts. They’re out here on a Fulbright essentially to develop the field of mental health in Malawi – a tall order in any country, but particularly here, where treatment for psychological problems usually entails ignoring the problematic person til a crime is committed, then sending the offender to jail. (in a nutshell)

The central hospital is overwhelmed – 1300 beds and often more than 1300 patients. Every night there are deaths – usually it’s kids under 5 who die of dehydration. A mixture of sugar, water and salt could cure almost all of these cases if caught early enough, but disseminating that knowledge has proven challenging.

Not a very exciting note, I know. Sorry about that.

To make up for it, photos! smelly fish, plus moms with babies.